


Trigonometry

by Swarms_of_crabs



Series: Doctor Who drabbles [3]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Drabble, Episode: s03e03 Gridlock, M/M, Minor The Doctor | Theta Sigma/The Master | Koschei (Doctor Who: Academy Era), Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:55:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26939245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swarms_of_crabs/pseuds/Swarms_of_crabs
Summary: Um basically here's a little unbeta'd thing I wrote the other day. I guess it's a Gridlock canon divergence AU, but really the only thing that's different is Martha and the Doctor's conversation beforehand. Anyways, enjoy
Relationships: Tenth Doctor & Martha Jones, Tenth Doctor/The Master (Simm)
Series: Doctor Who drabbles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1873276
Kudos: 26





	Trigonometry

"Hey Doctor, what's Theta?" Asked Martha one morning (or as close as one could get to "morning" in the TARDIS) as she buttered herself a slice of toast.

The Doctor, already seated and enjoying a frighteningly large bowl of Fruit Loops, sputtered and choked a bit. He forced himself to swallow the mouthful of cereal, then asked breathlessly "Where did you hear that? Who have you been talking to! Answer me Martha!!!" He gave her a look that made her remember that, despite his appearance, he wasn't human.

Martha frowned, quizzical and slightly alarmed. "Nobody! It's for Med school, I promise! I'm just a bit rusty on secondary school maths, that's all. I know it has something to do with angles, but I can't remember. Why do you care so much?"

The Doctor sighed in relief. "Oh, yes, of course. Sorry. It's umm..." He rubbed his temples, trying to calm himself down. "Trigonometry. An old Greek letter used to represent the input angle in an equation. Here, bring the work, I'll help you."

Martha raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Nuh-uh. You're not getting off that easily. What's Theta mean to you, and why do you care so much?" She crossed her arms and sat down across form the Doctor, toast forgotten.

"It's nothing, reall-"

"Doctor, I might not be an alien genius, but I'm not stupid. Tell me or I'll break every dish in this kitchen."

The Doctor opened his mouth as if to object, then shook his head a bit and sighed in resignation.

"Fine. If you must know, Theta Sigma was my... childhood name, the one I went by back on Galli- back on my home planet, when I was just a student." The Doctor stared pointedly at the wall, refusing to meet her gaze.

"So that's your real name?! Theta Sigma?"

"No, not my real name, just a nickname really. Time Lords don't use names the same way you humans do."

"Also, how did your people know Greek anyways? Were you named after them?"

"No, quite the opposite actually, they named the letter after me. Long story. Is that all then?"

Martha hummed. "Not yet. Did everyone have Greek names?"

"No, but it happened occasionally. Gallifreyan has some striking similarities to ancient Greek. There was Omega, for one."

"What other names were there? Other than Greek, I mean." Asked Martha eagerly. The Doctor rolled his eyes a bit before answering.

"Honestly Martha, I don't see why this-"

"Answer me."

He sighed again.

"Well let's see then. There was... Rallon and Millenia, and Vansell, Drax and Ushas, and..." He sucked in a breath. "Koschei."

"Who's Koschei?"

The Doctor shook his head, as if trying to shake off a memory. "No one, just- just an old friend."

The emotion in his voice made Martha raise her eyebrows. "Just a friend?"

The Doctor gave her a slightly bemused look.

"A first love maybe?" She smiled teasingly, not noticing the sudden tension in the Doctor's shoulders. "An old girlfriend?"

The Doctor realaxed a bit, and even managed a small laugh. "No Martha, Koschei wasn't my girlfriend."

"Hmm, alright then." She leaned forward a bit. "But come on, tell me more! What's Time Lord school like? Were you a good student? I bet you weren't. Why can't we go visit?"

He remained silent for a moment, staring pointedly at the wall. Then he stood up suddenly, tossing his Fruit Loops, bowl and all, into a nearby garbage. He grinned. "Oh, boring. You wouldn't like it at all. How about... Ooh! How would you, Martha Jones, like to visit New Earth?"

Martha studied him for a moment, noticing the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes, the way he avoided meeting her gaze. There was something he was hiding. She was tactful enough not to push him further, but she resolved to ask again later. Instead, she returned his smile, getting to her feet. "New Earth, eh? Sounds like fun!"

"Well then, Allons-y!" And he bounded off down a corridor, Martha laughing as she struggled to keep up.

Later, in an abandoned alleyway on a reborn planet, he would tell her about Gallifrey, and about the Time Lords and the horrible war that destroyed their civilization. She had planned to ask him more about his childhood, about whoever "Koschei" was, about life as a young Time Lord. But she wasn't completely cruel. She could see the ghosts in the Doctor's eyes when he spoke of Gallifrey, the way his gaze fixed on a far off point as if he was trying to forget where he was. So she didn't ask.

But she never forgot either. And when she saw him, cradling the Master's lifeless body in his arms and begging him not to die, not to leave him, she thought she finally understood.

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you liked it! Leave a kudo if you did. Or don't. Idk, I'm not the boss of you


End file.
